Last week, Melbourne coach Steven King almost ruled Jack Viney out for the season. On Wednesday, the premiership veteran was back training at Casey Fields in what could be a remarkable finals comeback for the injured champion.
The 32-year-old Viney has not played since round 24 last year due to Achilles and lower back injuries. But King said the Demons vice captain had made progress, even though it was too early to put a timeline on any return, and there was now a chance for the heart-and-soul stalwart.
“He’s had a couple of sessions and got to a point where he’s recovered well,” King said of the 237-game champion.
“Sometimes when you increase load your body either shuts down or actually responds well. He’s taken a couple of steps forward so maybe he might have just broken through that barrier where he can string a couple of sessions together. I think anything is a bonus for Jack.”
King has taken on board advice from Geelong counterpart Chris Scott as the master and apprentice prepare to go head-to-head under the Friday night lights.
The Demons return to the marquee timeslot for only the second time this season when they face the injury-hit Cats at the MCG.
King and skipper Max Gawn were quick to make a point last weekend of how big an occasion this was for the Demons, who were taken off Broadway this season as the AFL and broadcasters thought they were in a rebuilding year after parting with premiership stars Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver.
Instead, the Demons have leapt to sixth on the ladder and are one of the more exciting teams to watch.
King, a former Geelong captain, and assistant to Scott with the Cats through 2024-25, said the Demons were ready to embrace the Friday night focus.
“We have been craving and playing a brand of footy that stacks up, that people will want to watch. So, to get this prime-time slot is great recognition for our playing group for what they have been doing throughout the year,” King said.
“We want to make sure we do the occasion proud by playing a brand of footy that even neutrals watching will go: ‘That was entertaining, and a good game of footy’.”
The Demons’ only appearance on either a Thursday or Friday night this season was in their annual Anzac Eve clash against Richmond.
King said he had embraced the advice from Scott this week not to over-think playing against a club he has intimate knowledge of, although Scott questioned whether King had ever thought about facing a Cats unit missing injured stars Jeremy Cameron and Max Holmes.
“Yeah, certainly I think you can give your players too much information. Sometimes ignorance is bliss. You go about what you can control and what you need to take care of as a team,” King said.
“There are some things the way you plan to try and beat a team like Geelong but, if you outline every point and detail and position around what they are doing, you forget about yourself. I thought that was really sound advice from Chris, one that I’ll take on board.
“If you look at all their strengths and weapons they have as a team, you have got to be careful what message you sell to your own players.”
King said the Demons had embraced playing with speed and flair, but “there has been a bit of grit that has been building underneath”.
“If you can’t put 100 points on the board now and fight with the big boys, you are down a weight class or two,” King said.
Key defender Daniel Turner (cracked ribs) was a major loss, but the Demons had potential replacements, including Tom McDonald and Harrison Petty.
Changkuoth Jiath, who hurt his calf against North Melbourne last weekend, is still a chance to play. Fellow half-back Christian Salem has continued to build fitness in the VFL after a foot fracture and is close to a senior return.
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Jon Pierik is a sports journalist at The Age. He covers AFL and has won awards for his cricket and basketball writing.Connect via X or email.From our partners
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